[The four alliances have begun to develop territorial awareness. They are deeply invested in claiming, occupying, and monopolizing regions, preventing other groups from approaching.]
[Mid Third Epoch: The spiritual energy concentration reaches 1,000 times. The entire world is growing increasingly prosperous. Trees in the forests rise skyward, and the oceans teem with new life forms such as coral, seaweed, and kelp.]
[Marine evolution gives rise to numerous early fish species, with some developing lungs and adapting to life on land.]
[With an abundance of food resources, the four divided species become even more eager to reproduce, leading to a population explosion exceeding a thousand individuals.]
[However, despite the lush forests and seemingly endless food supply, the available space becomes increasingly limited.]
[As arboreal creatures, the ancient apes rely on trees for survival. Overcrowding among their growing numbers leads to unbearable living conditions.]
[Eventually, under these circumstances, the four subspecies of ancient apes can no longer tolerate each other, sparking the first large-scale biological war in this world!]
[Late Third Epoch: War rages on. The smaller and weaker Ramapithecus and Australopithecus are defeated. Ramapithecus disappears entirely, becoming the first species to fade from history.]
[The larger and stronger Egyptian apes and African apes achieve victory, resulting in a two-way rivalry. Both continue to inhabit the forests.]
[As for Australopithecus, their defeat forces them to migrate eastward to ensure their survival.]
[End of the Third Epoch: Numerous land creatures, such as dire wolves, short-faced bears, and woolly rhinoceroses, now roam the continent.]
[The displaced Australopithecus traverses long distances and finally reaches the grasslands.]
[Here, they endure harsh conditions, struggling to find food and shelter. They must evade predators and avoid mutated creatures, causing their numbers to dwindle drastically.]
[On the brink of extinction, some Australopithecus individuals unlock hidden potential, adapting themselves to the new environment.]
[After prolonged adaptation, a new species emerges!]
[Some surviving ancient apes successfully evolve into bipedal creatures.]
[They begin to craft primitive tools from sticks and stones, enabling them to hunt on the grasslands. They no longer rely solely on fruits and leaves for sustenance, nor do they live in trees.]
[This newly evolved species, marked by these significant traits, is historically known as Homo habilis!]
[Ding! The evolutionary history of humanity begins. The Stone Age is born!]
[Ding! Early intelligent life, Homo habilis, has emerged!]
[Creator points +1000.]
The evolution of Homo habilis from ancient apes marks the dawn of upright walking and budding intelligence precisely the path Bai Ze had envisioned!
The forests, teeming with abundance, provided little challenge for the ancient apes. With no need for drastic adaptations, they remained largely unchanged, stagnating in their evolutionary state.
In contrast, the migration to the grasslands forced the Australopithecus to adapt to harsh conditions, leading to transformation.
Everything was unfolding according to plan.
"Now that Homo habilis has appeared, it's time to give them a spark," Bai Ze mused with a sly grin.
The next moment, a thought from him reached the distant Treant clan.
At this time, the Treants resided in a dense forest, exhibiting amusing behavior.
The large predators native to the area were humbling themselves, massaging and flattering the Treants.
There was no choice; the sheer power disparity left them no alternative but to submit.
Each Treant was an extraordinary being, and even the fiercest predators couldn't challenge them, leaving them relegated to subservient roles.
[Early Fourth Epoch: Bai Ze's voice reaches Aurora's ears, and she immediately understands her task.]
[In the grasslands, a heavy rain begins to pour. A lightning bolt strikes, igniting a broken piece of wood in the Homo habilis settlement, creating a roaring fire.]
[Terrified of the flames, none of the Homo habilis dare approach it. But by chance, a piece of animal meat falls into the fire.]
[One curious individual, unwilling to lose the meat, retrieves it. To their surprise, the aroma of the cooked meat captivates them.]
[The other Homo habilis, drawn by the scent, begin sharing the cooked meat and are astonished by its superior taste compared to raw meat.]
[During their experiments with fire, they also discover that large predators fear flames. With fire, they can keep danger at bay.]
[For the first time, Homo habilis learn to harness fire for various purposes.]
[Whenever thunderstorms bring rain and lightning that ignite fires, they worship the phenomenon as a divine blessing.]
[Ding! Early forms of faith have emerged. Creator points +500.]
[Mid-Fourth Epoch: The spiritual energy concentration reaches 3,000 times, accelerating the pace of innate evolution.]
[Homo habilis, having mastered the use of fire, advance rapidly. Their population surpasses 2,000. With fewer threats, they begin crafting more refined stone tools for hunting.]
[Some Homo habilis also use fire to create simple symbols and unknown forms of communication.]
[Late Fourth Epoch: The spiritual energy concentration reaches 5,000 times, and the world reaches its peak prosperity. Even the expansive grasslands begin sprouting saplings.]
[With abundant food and favorable conditions, Homo habilis undergo another major transformation.]
[Their spines straighten further, and their body hair diminishes. Importantly, they learn to use animal hides for clothing, and tribal development accelerates.]
[This new stage of evolution gives rise to a species historically known as Homo erectus!]
[Ding! Early hominin species, Homo erectus, has emerged!]
[Creator points +500.]
Seeing this, Bai Ze nodded in satisfaction.
The discovery of fire served as a catalyst, accelerating the development of Homo habilis and their subsequent evolution into Homo erectus.
This was precisely Bai Ze's strategy.
"Homo erectus has now emerged."
"Next comes the most critical challenge," Bai Ze remarked with a hint of nervousness.
Beyond Homo erectus lay the ultimate goal: Homo sapiens, the species closest to modern humans.
But the emergence of Homo sapiens required the establishment of the first civilized tribe. Without a significant stimulus, this would be a long and arduous process.
After some thought, Bai Ze decided to let the Treants remain dormant for now and wait for the first signs of intelligent life before intervening.
For now, all he could do was wait and see!
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